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spooky_librarian's review
4.0
“The truth is that sometimes, options are just doors meant to give the illusion of choice. Have you ever tried to open those doors?”
If you are someone who loves one-sitting reads, strong, sorrowful prose, feminist narratives, and dark fairytales, author K.P. Kulski’s House of Pungsu is a novella you may want on your reading list.
A mother, daughter, and grandmother find themselves trapped in an empty Joseon-era palace with no concept of time. Where are all the people? Why does the palace not crumble and decay? The daughter is troubled with strange dreams and is curious about what is hidden behind locked doors, the mother is constantly keeping those doors locked at night, and the grandmother seems to keep herself locked behind a door of her own.
There is also a story within this story in the form of a retelling of the Korean folktale “The Tiger’s Whisker”---which I took the liberty of reading for a comparison and I will definitely say, K.P. Kulski’s ending to this tale is much more cathartic than the original.
There is lots of mystery and beautiful, lyrical writing throughout this story of women’s aches and women's power. Every page is atmospheric and laced with Korean folklore. If this sounds like your cup of tea, you'll devour House of Pungsu!
If you are someone who loves one-sitting reads, strong, sorrowful prose, feminist narratives, and dark fairytales, author K.P. Kulski’s House of Pungsu is a novella you may want on your reading list.
A mother, daughter, and grandmother find themselves trapped in an empty Joseon-era palace with no concept of time. Where are all the people? Why does the palace not crumble and decay? The daughter is troubled with strange dreams and is curious about what is hidden behind locked doors, the mother is constantly keeping those doors locked at night, and the grandmother seems to keep herself locked behind a door of her own.
There is also a story within this story in the form of a retelling of the Korean folktale “The Tiger’s Whisker”---which I took the liberty of reading for a comparison and I will definitely say, K.P. Kulski’s ending to this tale is much more cathartic than the original.
There is lots of mystery and beautiful, lyrical writing throughout this story of women’s aches and women's power. Every page is atmospheric and laced with Korean folklore. If this sounds like your cup of tea, you'll devour House of Pungsu!
thomaswjoyce's review
4.0
A grandmother, mother and daughter seemingly trapped in a Korean palace, unable to leave the grounds, and almost definitely not alone. Rather than dwelling on the idea of something supernatural happening, Kulski uses the setting to explore the nature of identity, specifically that of women in Joseon Korea and how it is defined by their relationships with the men of the time. Although I soon figured out the message behind the story, it still felt like it wasn't written for me. I could still appreciate the language and the style, which was beautifully done. And as the story came together at the end and we realised what the palace represented and who the three main characters really were, it really tied a bow on a great story for me. And the idea that the main character of the story could take what they had learned through the course of their life and this story, and use it to improve their existence going forward was a great way to end the book. Fantastic writing.
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